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Sandhu skates with new resolve
Nov. 2, 2001. 02:00 AM
Superb routine puts him in second place after short program
Randy Starkman
SPORTS REPORTER
SASKATOON - Emanuel Sandhu has been told for years he's got the talent to do
something special in his sport.

Now, he says, he's more determined than ever to do something about it.

Sandhu demonstrated that new resolve here last night at Skate Canada,
delivering a superb showing in the men's short program to finish second
behind three-time world champ Alexei Yagudin of Russia. Elvis Stojko, trying
to bounce back after an injury-plagued campaign, missed his quad combination
and is in third place.

World pairs champs Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, fresh from their win at
Skate America, delivered a strong performance for the second straight week
to easily win the short program yesterday and should have no problem
wrapping up the gold medal tonight.

For Sandhu, whose hallmark to date has been a frustrating inconsistency,
last night marked a strong first step in this Olympic season. He was sharp
on both the technical and artistic ends of his program, an eclectic techno
dance number with some funk to it.

"I don't really deserve any less and I don't think I should expect any less
of myself but the best,'' said the Richmond Hill, Ont., native. "I've been
told for years that I have the talent to do it. Now, I'm really understand
that and trying to make it useful.''

There were several positive signs for Sandhu. Firstly, he held himself
together mentally when he could have become unnerved because the last skater
to take the ice, a position he's never faced before. He also pulled off his
quadruple toeloop/triple toeloop combination after getting off balance.

"It was on a 45-degree angle in the air literally,'' said Sandhu. "That's
just through training and repetition that I was like, `You're not going to
pull out of it. You're going to stay in and you're going to use the hell out
of your talent here and have confidence that your talent will take over.'
And that's exactly what it did.''

Sandhu, left off the Canadian Olympic team in a controversial decision
before the 1998 Nagano Winter Games, plans to push the envelope technically
this season. He has been practising a quadruple salchow he expects to use at
some point, as well as a triple axel/triple-toe/triple-loop combination,
something which has never been done in competition.

"I've always wanted to push the boundaries of skating,'' said Sandhu, who
turns 21 on Nov. 18. "I've always wanted to leave the sport and be
recognized like a legend or somebody's who really made a mark on the sport
and will be forever remembered and I think that takes a special person."